How to create new Spore part models (animated parts!)

[Emd4600 [ASR]]

Yes, that's weird. be sure the model you are putting in part_models_lod1~ is actually animated.

[tklarenb]

Yes, that's weird. be sure the model you are putting in part_models_lod1~ is actually animated.

The model files are the same as the ones in part_models, I literally just copied everything over to part_models_lod1~, and like I said earlier they animate fine in the editor, so they do have animations. Maybe someone can take a look at the package and see what's going wrong? Here's a link to what I currently have: http://www.mediafire.com/file/su3mxsus1 ... ed.package
(Just a note for those who download the fourth head is unfinished so it having no textures is normal)

[PixelLove]

What do I do with a part after I've exported it from blender? There's no .rw4 file extension in any of the spore folders.

[rob55rod]

What do I do with a part after I've exported it from blender? There's no .rw4 file extension in any of the spore folders.

Just laid that out for you on the thread you created ^-^

[PixelLove]

Okay...I still have no remote idea what to do once I have a rw4 file because the SporeModder only opens package files and for some reason there's 0 instructions anywhere on how to write a properties file for this spore, it's not something you can just randomly guess at and hope to get right, not that anything remotely explains what to do with them anyway once I have them. All I want to do is quickly test a part to see if it does what I want it to do in the game so that I know I don't have to worry about the animation and can move on to the textures. How come after like 4 years there isn't just a basic video walk-through of the process? And why does this website say I'm offline while I'm typing this message? I really underestimated the importance of marketing and graphic design until I saw this whole mod campaign.

[rob55rod]

Okay...I still have no remote idea what to do once I have a rw4 file because the SporeModder only opens package files and for some reason there's 0 instructions anywhere on how to write a properties file for this spore, it's not something you can just randomly guess at and hope to get right, not that anything remotely explains what to do with them anyway once I have them.

I apologize, I'm not very good at explaining stuff .-.

Also, do you have the base game files unpacked? I just realized I forgot to ask...because if not, you really should...

All I want to do is quickly test a part to see if it does what I want it to do in the game so that I know I don't have to worry about the animation and can move on to the textures.

Here's a test project which will allow you do to just that: DOWNLOAD
(just place the "!!!!!!PixelLoveTest" folder into SporeModder's "Projects" folder)

How come after like 4 years there isn't just a basic video walk-through of the process?

Because I've been trying to make one, but I haven't managed to do so yet. As stated above, I'm not very good at explaining stuff :/

And why does this website say I'm offline while I'm typing this message?

I don't know, probably a forum bug.

I really underestimated the importance of marketing and graphic design until I saw this whole mod campaign.

...huh? What do you mean?

[PixelLove]

Okay...I still have no remote idea what to do once I have a rw4 file because the SporeModder only opens package files and for some reason there's 0 instructions anywhere on how to write a properties file for this spore, it's not something you can just randomly guess at and hope to get right, not that anything remotely explains what to do with them anyway once I have them.

I apologize, I'm not very good at explaining stuff .-.

Also, do you have the base game files unpacked? I just realized I forgot to ask...because if not, you really should...

It's not that you're bad at explaining stuff, it's that you just simply don't explain stuff. The game itself is playable, it's not locked up in some zip archive. However, all the things that should be a package file like the darkspore injection are still a package file. Is there some reason I should unachive these files? What else would I need to uppack? DSI already glitched the game up pretty bad, I don't think it's a good idea to screw with anything else. You're still not explaining what I do with this niche rw4 file that only EA uses for anything.

[rob55rod]

It's not that you're bad at explaining stuff, it's that you just simply don't explain stuff.

True...

The game itself is playable, it's not locked up in some zip archive.

True, it's compiled into an EXE and a stack of DLLs, with some package files containing the game files.

However, all the things that should be a package file like the darkspore injection are still a package file.

Yeah, mods. Mods containing files.

Is there some reason I should unachive these files?

Not the Dark Injection packages, but you're going to want to unpack the Core Spore and GA packages so you can access (and build off of) their contents.

You're still not explaining what I do with this niche rw4 file that only EA uses for anything.

The rw4 file is a model/texture format. In the example project, I included some dummy rw4 models in subfolders of the "editor_rigblocks~" folder, which you were to replace with your model. Does that clarify?



I'm so sorry for all the confusion... ._.
(This is why I thought Steam would be a good idea - it would allow me to address your questions more immediately. Idk if you just didn't see the post where I asked for a link to your Steam profile or simply decided against providing one...it's your call, I'm not trying to force the issue, I just kinda think it'd be better. But if you just don't want to, that's fine by me.)

[PixelLove]

I made a good spore part, but it's not importing into the project properly. I triangulated the mesh, normalized all weights, added keyframes to each bone in each frame (though that really intuitively doesn't at all seem like what I should do, are you sure you can't phrase it better?), added materials and a smart-project uv map. Still no luck. Do I need to do a UV unwrap before the animation? I'm allowed to scale bones in various ways right? And also make them not inherit scaling individually?

[rob55rod]

I made a good spore part, but it's not importing into the project properly. I triangulated the mesh

kgood

normalized all weights

Are you sure you unchecked "Lock active"?

added keyframes to each bone in each frame (though that really intuitively doesn't at all seem like what I should do, are you sure you can't phrase it better?)

I said in each frame that has a key for any bone, so each frame should either have keys for every bone or no keys at all.

a smart-project uv map

Wat

Do I need to do a UV unwrap before the animation?

Order doesn't matter

I'm allowed to scale bones in various ways right?

Yes

And also make them not inherit scaling individually?

...maybe?

[denor]

nice job

[denor]

when i tried exporting a part it popped up the blender folder for when you install the add-on so is there a way to export a part into spore with out the problem from ever happening again

[Arceus-Mew]

Hello! Me and a friend are trying to make our own parts! we got about 4 to work so far however the parts have this weird black wavey thing when you move the parts the black travels can we get some help?

[MarioBabyLuigi]

Images can help.

[tklarenb]

So it's been awhile since I've attempted modding in parts, currently trying to make a raptor head but running into a very frustrating bug. The part works perfectly in the creature editor:

But in game, the head is flipped around backwards, and will randomly flip forwards again (flipping seems to be tied to the open mouth animation):


I've tried remaking the rw4 entirely from scratch 3 or 4 times now, and every time I get this bug. My guess is I'm missing some setting in Blender since I'm so inexperienced with the program (I own both 3ds Max and Zbrush, so I pretty much never use Blender). I'm hoping someone here might be able to spot what I'm missing. The part has only one animation (open mouth).

Here's a link to the Blender file: http://www.mediafire.com/file/009pzmm09 ... orv2.blend
And in case it's not Blender related, here's a link to the package file: http://www.mediafire.com/file/a5mklwavf ... ds.package